Mailing envelope



1933' J. PALMER ET AL MAILING ENVELOPE Filed 001.. 21. 1931 D wamm ATTORNEY i atented Dec. 19, 1933' UNITED STATES MAILING ENVELOPE John Palmer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Emanuel W. Sweigard, San Diego,

Calif.

Application October 21, 1931. Serial No. 570,054

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to mailing envelopes, and the objects of our invention are;

First, to provide an envelope, or attachment therefor, which, when once sealed, cannot be opened again without mutilating the envelope,

thus inspiring fear and insuring against unauthorized opening or tampering with the envelope.

Second, to provide an envelope of this class, 10 which incorporates a metallic or other seal, which may be embossed with warning words so as to form a means of inspiring fear against tampering, also providing ornamentation as well as substituting for the conventional wax seal; and

Third, to provide an envelope of this class, which is particularly simple'and economical of construction, readily and quickly sealed, and efficient in its action.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, our invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and-particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing'and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of our mailing envelope in its one form; Fig. 2 is an exaggerated fragmentary sectional view through 2 -2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the envelope with the sealing flap open; Fig. 4 isa fragmentary elevational view of a modified form of our sealing envelope with parts and portions broken away and in section to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view thereof with the sealing flap opened outwardly; Fig. 6 is an exaggerated fragmentary sectional view through 6-6 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is another 40 exaggerated fragmentary sectional view through 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

The envelopes used are conventional in most respects, in that, each envelope, designated 1, includes a back portion 1a, a lower flap 1b, side flaps 1c, and a top or cover flap 1d. The margins of the lower flap 1b are arranged in overlapping relation with the adjacent margins of the side flaps 1c and suitably glued thereto.

An inner sealing member 2 is provided which is preferably formed of paper similar to the envelope. The inner sealing member 2 is secured to the central portion of the cover flap 1d inwardly from its free edge. The secured portion preferably overlaps the folded juncture, designated 16, between the cover flap 1d and the back portion 1a of the envelope, as indicated by 2a. The inner sealing member is secured to the cover flap 1d and back portion la by a suitable adhesive 3, in such a manner as to leave the extended portion of the inner sealing member free. The free portion, designated 2b, of the inner sealing member 2, adjacent its secured portion is provided with a U-shaped slit which forms a tongue 20, directed toward the free end of the inner sealing member. The tongue 20 is secured to the cover flap 111 by the adhesive 3.

A metallic seal 4 is provided which is formed 70, of relatively thin metal and may be embossed. The seal 4 is disposed on the outer side of the cover flap 1d,-and includes a pair or more of lugs 4a, whichare adapted to be inserted through the cover flap id and inner sealing member 2 so that the extremities of said lugs may be bent over as shown best in Figs. 2 and 3.

The upper side of the free portion 2b of the innersealing member is coated with a suitable adhesive 5, Sand is adaptedto' be inserted under each of the bottom and side flaps 1b audio of the envelope. The extended margin of the cover flap 1d is also provided with suitable adhesive, designated 1;. l 1 When itis'desiredto seal the letter, the ari- 8 hesive portions 5 and 1f are dampened. The free end of the inner sealing member 2 is then inserted under {each'of the flaps 1b and 1c, whereupon the cover nap 1d is pressed down to the'position shown in Fig.1.

The structure illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, is similar in mostrespects to the above described structure. -In--this structure, the envelope, designated 11, includes'the conventional back portion 11a, bottom flap 11b, side flaps 110 9 and cover flap 11d.

" The inner sealing member 12 usedin conjunction with this envelope is secured in a manner similar to the sealing member 2 to the underside of the cover flap 11d and adjacent portions of the back 1111, by means of an adhesive 13. The inner sealing member 12 is provided with a U- shaped slit which forms a tongue 12a, extending toward the free end of the inner sealing member. The cover flap 11d is provided with an opening 11c punched therein, which is bisected by an integral web 11]. The tongue 12a is extended over the web 11f as shown best in Fig. '7. The tongue 12a except for the portion exposed by the open-' ing lle is coated with adhesive 13. The extended or free end, designated 12b, of the inner sealing member 12 is provided with a coating of suitable adhesive 14, on its upper side in a manner similar to the inner sealing member 2.

The cover flap 11d is provided with a coating of adhesive 11g arranged along its extended margin. It can readily be seen that an attempt to steam the adhesive 11g or 1f, in order to lift the cover flap lldor 1d, does not loosen the adhesive 14 or 5, respectively, by reason of the fact that the steam must be directed against the glueor other adhesive itself, which would require that the steam be directed into the envelope and thereby come in contact with the contents. Further, an attempt to withdraw the inner sealing member, although the glue has been loosened necessarily pulls upon the inner; sealing member so as to rupture its connection with the envelope,- either by tearing past the lugs 4a, or by tearing the web 11f.

It is, obvious from the construction as illustrated in thedrawing and described in-the foregoing specification, that we have provided a mailing envelope, which is particularly difficult to open without detection, and though we have shown and described a particularconstruction, combination and arrangement and a modification thereof, we do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to, the modification, but desire to include in the scope of our invention, the construction, combination and arrangement as set forth in the following claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters central opening forming an easily ruptured means forining'apart of the connection thereof with said flap disposed so. that opening of said ap t n st u u e a d eans 2. In a device of the class described, an envelope, a doub1e Sea-1ing flap therefor, the one portion of flap adapted to be inserted into said envelope, the other adapted to, extend on the outer sideof said envelope, adhesive coatings on the sides of said portignsfacing said envelope, and provided with acentral opening formingan easily ruptured means forming a part of the connection between the portions of saiddouble flap dfisposed so that the unsealing of said outer portion tends to rupture said means.-

3. In a device of the class described, an envelope, a sealing flap therefor foldably connected with said envelope, an inner sealing means secured to said flap, the secured portion thereof extending past and over the folded margin thereof, said inner sealing means including an initially free portion adapted to be inserted within said envelope, adhesive coatings on the sides of said flap and said free portionv facing said envelope, and provided with a central opening forming an easily ruptured means forming a part of the connection between said inner sealing means and said flap arranged to give way upon opening said flap, once said free portion is secured to said envelope. i

4. In a device of the class described, a mailing envelope including a pocket, a flap therefor and adhesive along a margin of said flap for securing said flap to the outer side of said pocket, an inner sealing member secured to the inner side of said flap including. an adhesive coated free portion adapted to be inserted in said pocket, a plate disposed on the outside of said flap and securing lugs therefor extending through said flap and sealing member, said lugs forming an easily rup tured connection between, said flap and inner sealing member arranged to give. way upon opening of said flap once said inner sealing member is secured to said pocket.

5. In a device of the class described, an envelope, a double sealing flap therefor, the one portion of said flap adapted to be inserted into said envelope, the other adapted to extend on the outer side of said envelope, adhesive coatings on the sides of said portions facing said envelope, a plate disposed on the outer side of said outer flap portion, and securing lugs therefor extending through said double flap, said lugs form.- ing easily ruptured connections between said flap portions arranged to give way upon opening of said outer flapportiononce said, inner flap portion is secured to said envelope.

6. In a device of the class described, an envelope, a sealing flap therefor foldably connected with said envelope, an inner .sealingmeans secured to said flap, the secured portion thereof terminating in spaced relation to the folded margin thereof, said inner sealing means including initially'free portion adapted tobe inserted within said envelope, adhesive coatings on the sides of said flap and said free portion facing said envelope, a plate disposed on the outer side fsaid flap, and securing lugs therefor extending through saidflap and said inner sealing means, said lugs forming an easily rupturable connection with said inner sealing means.

OHNPALMER; EMANUEL W. SWEIGARD. 

